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“She loves you She is carrying your child, but Sara arranged for her to be abducted and sold She won’t put her baby at risk”

“I know Heather She will not give up She will try to find a way ho without her She kno much I want this child with her”

John said nothing to this, and Godwin knew that his friend did not agree They returned to Cornwall and to Captain John’s small estate

Godwin’s nights were spent in drea, “Let her be safe, let our child she now carries thrive Let me one day see them both alive and well”

Captain John, atched over him, kept him occupied with other matters, helped hied to return to Cornwall, knowing this was soet over

Godwin visited the cottage daily, in the hopes that if she returned, she would go there

More than a month went by, and they had discovered no further clues as to where Heather could be Godwin sank into depression “John, my life is over if her life is done”

“I have been thinking, Godwin,” his friend said “So hear ler who helped her escape may have hidden themselves not on land, but on a docked vessel It is possible that while they were being chased the two took refuge from her abductors on another boat”

“Then why did she not get off that boat and find a way home to me?” Godwin shook his head “Only death would keep her from me”

“No, now and then, the fates do us unexpectedly What if they were unable to get off this haven of a boat…what if it sailed and they were too frightened to immediately show themselves? Perhaps it is only time that keeps you apart Perhaps she will still find a way?”

Space and fear for Heather had brought Godwin low He believed his friend was ive hi, but that is a farfetched notion No My heart is dead, my life is over,” Godwin said, and poured whiskey down his throat

Summer’s warmth enveloped the Liberté as it sliced waves of dark blue Heather stared at the white horses of the deep, turned away and leaned into the stern Ahead, she could see the water’s shades become aquamarine

She squealed to see dolphins swim near the boat as they played with one another Oh, it would be all so glorious, would be so if only she were sailing back to Godwin The coood, kind man She had no doubts on that score

Their destination, she noas Barbados, the isle of sugar cane and ru sweet nights and gentle charms He had told her it was a haven, and his sister had clapped her hands with exciteht of such an isle after he had told his stories

Heather’s sadness would have engulfed her had she not believed she would soon be traveling back home